Samana a Joke on US????

[MS52]

We also did a tour with Terry( an American who was in the peace corp and ended up marrying an island girl) and had an amazing time. That part of the island is unspoiled and so rich in culture. Most of the islands now are so completely commercialized.

 

I appreciated being able to see all the untouched beauty almost like stepping back in time. We brought school supplies and candy for the children and they were just adorable and so polite and gracious.

 

I would love to go back some day.

 

Well said.

 

It was unlike any place that I've ever been. The people had so little but were so happy.

 

It still has me rethinking some things........

[MS52]

How many times have you been to a tourist stop and had several (that's more than 1) in your face 4 inchs from your nose yelling $10 to town? How about whispering in your ear?

 

We waited at the dock for almost an hour for the rest of our group to get their act together and arrive on the tenders. I have to say, I didn't see any of that. Not a bit.

 

There was music, dancers and a generally happy atmosphere.

[JulieRose]

And people who spend the money for such action are just as culpable as those making some money off of it.

 

This is why I shied away from the horseback riding tours in Samana. I saw on another site that some people had some concerns that horses used by a particular operator were emaciated. It would break my heart if we got there only to find they were running tours with abused/neglected animals. We decided that instead of risking it, we would do something that didn't include animals.

[danilynn17]

My husband and I stopped in Samana on an NCL cruise about 6 years ago. We were told that we were only the second cruise ship to stop there.

 

It was really a humbling experience. We did an excursion through the ship that involved bike riding, tours to various sites and then some time on a beach (can't remember which one). Several things were evident- it really was a third-world country. People living in essentially huts with no running water or electricity. Lots of trash. But on the other hand, everyone was so friendly and excited that cruise ships were stopping there. Children (and adults) waived and grinned as we drove by in the tour vehicle.

 

It is quite the contrast to the luxury that is on board the cruise ship. Cruisers love to complain that their steak wasn't piping hot or whatever other trivial complaint they have. Many of these people are poorer than we can ever fathom.

 

That contrast makes a lot of travellers uncomfortable with their own feelings of guilt and excess (whether they recognize it or not).

[luckyprincess]

You are correct. We cannot control wildlife but we can control ourselves. There is absolutely no reason to be stressing, in any way, a mother whale and her calf. And people who spend the money for such action are just as culpable as those making some money off of it.

 

Well said Ocean Boy and exactly how I feel about it.

 

To the poster that tried to scold others for not wanting to be in a seedy port with aggressive people I would say if you are used to that and accept it I feel badly for you :( Where do you live?

[Big_G]

Tough crowd here today. Not sure why the OP is being ridiculed for relating his experience. For those that accuse him of not getting out much, judging by his history he's been around the block many more times than his critics. Despite some opinions, the post is informative to some of us. After visiting a plethora of Caribbean Islands where almost everyone in the tourist industry understood some English, I'd probably expect the same from the DR. If that makes me an arrogant American so be it. :rolleyes:

[pam_1024]

To the OP, thanks for the info! Some will ridicule anyone and anything because it is so easy to do so when hiding behind a keyboard. Most of us like to read about ALL opinions about different ships, ports, etc, to help us make an informed decision. I travel as a single mom with my son, so i definitely am interested in knowing about safety concerns at different ports. It doesn't mean I would never go to that port, it just means i will be able to make a more informed decision about excursions, etc, when I do.

[davy jones]

Thanks for the info. I am looking at a cruise that includes this port. I will definitely take a close look.

[Big_G]

My husband and I stopped in Samana on an NCL cruise about 6 years ago. We were told that we were only the second cruise ship to stop there.

 

It was really a humbling experience. We did an excursion through the ship that involved bike riding, tours to various sites and then some time on a beach (can't remember which one). Several things were evident- it really was a third-world country. People living in essentially huts with no running water or electricity. Lots of trash. But on the other hand, everyone was so friendly and excited that cruise ships were stopping there. Children (and adults) waived and grinned as we drove by in the tour vehicle.

 

It is quite the contrast to the luxury that is on board the cruise ship. Cruisers love to complain that their steak wasn't piping hot or whatever other trivial complaint they have. Many of these people are poorer than we can ever fathom.

 

That contrast makes a lot of travellers uncomfortable with their own feelings of guilt and excess (whether they recognize it or not).

 

The last time I was in Montego Bay, we to took a Mobay taxi to Margaritaville. All of a sudden the driver turns into this fenced in compound with barbed wire on the top. It turned out to be a shanty type market place. The taxi driver asked us to get out and wait for another taxi to take us the remainder of the way. I told him to take us back to the ship if he wouldn't take us to our destination. He refused. None of the vendors looked remotely happy to see us. You betcha I was getting nervous and uncomfortable and it had little to do with any feeling of guilt and excess. Guilt and excess? Judge much?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[relaxatsea]

We did not book any tour in Samana.

 

We took the tender and then walked into town where we found a very economical internet cafe and were able to check all of our emails (which is quite expensive to do onboard the ship).

 

We did have to ask for directions along the way to find the internet cafe, and we do speak Spanish, so it was easy.

 

We enjoyed the walk, but would probably stay on the ship the next time (unless we had emails to check!).

[JulieRose]

We did not book any tour in Samana.

 

We took the tender and then walked into town where we found a very economical internet cafe and were able to check all of our emails (which is quite expensive to do onboard the ship).

 

We did have to ask for directions along the way to find the internet cafe, and we do speak Spanish, so it was easy.

 

We enjoyed the walk, but would probably stay on the ship the next time (unless we had emails to check!).

 

 

Do you by any chance remember where it was or what it was called? We will be needing an email check by the time we get there since we will be almost a week into our trip at that point.

[luckyprincess]

The last time I was in Montego Bay, we to took a Mobay taxi to Margaritaville. All of a sudden the driver turns into this fenced in compound with barbed wire on the top. It turned out to be a shanty type market place. The taxi driver asked us to get out and wait for another taxi to take us the remainder of the way. I told him to take us back to the ship if he wouldn't take us to our destination. He refused. None of the vendors looked remotely happy to see us. You betcha I was getting nervous and uncomfortable and it had little to do with any feeling of guilt and excess. Guilt and excess? Judge much?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Wow that is scary!

[EVALUATOR]

Mrs E. loved shoes. Every time we went to Belize she would leave the gated area around the port and walk to the local department store to buy shoes. She would walk past all the shady looking characters there. On the way to the store I was concerned for our safety.

 

I felt much safer on the way back. I knew if anyone did anything to endanger her new shoes she would chew them up and spit them out.

[pearlie]

We will be on the Explorer in a couple of weeks and Samana is one of the stops. i will be traveling w. 2 seniors and really am glad to have this info. I think we will make it a pool day on board.

[relaxatsea]

Do you by any chance remember where it was or what it was called? We will be needing an email check by the time we get there since we will be almost a week into our trip at that point.

 

We were there a couple of years ago, when Samana first opened up.

 

Sorry, I don't remember the name of the internet cafe, but I (sort of) remember how to get there.

 

When we got to the dock, we turned left and took a wide sidewalk alongside the water into town. Eventually, we saw a kind of flea market on our left with lots of stalls selling souvenirs.

 

On our right side, we could see the "downtown" area. We took what seemed to be the main street about one block away from the flea market. There was a small hill on the left side of the street, and the internet cafe was on our right side.

 

It was not really a "cafe", just a small room with some computers. I wish I could remember the price, it seems like it was either $2.00 or $5.00 for one hour.

 

If you don't speak Spanish, I'm pretty sure you could just say "Internet?" and somebody will point you in the right direction.

 

We did not feel particularly unsafe, but I would recommend wearing a money belt under your clothes to be on the safe side. It is clearly a very poor area, so always better to be cautious.

[JulieRose]

We were there a couple of years ago, when Samana first opened up.

 

Sorry, I don't remember the name of the internet cafe, but I (sort of) remember how to get there.

 

When we got to the dock, we turned left and took a wide sidewalk alongside the water into town. Eventually, we saw a kind of flea market on our left with lots of stalls selling souvenirs.

 

On our right side, we could see the "downtown" area. We took what seemed to be the main street about one block away from the flea market. There was a small hill on the left side of the street, and the internet cafe was on our right side.

 

It was not really a "cafe", just a small room with some computers. I wish I could remember the price, it seems like it was either $2.00 or $5.00 for one hour.

 

If you don't speak Spanish, I'm pretty sure you could just say "Internet?" and somebody will point you in the right direction.

 

We did not feel particularly unsafe, but I would recommend wearing a money belt under your clothes to be on the safe side. It is clearly a very poor area, so always better to be cautious.

 

Thanks! I speak enough Spanish that we should be okay but having an idea before we go is good. I can probably even look it up on google maps based on your description.

[ksadonnab]

My husband and I stopped in Samana.

 

It was really a humbling experience. We did an excursion through the ship.

 

Several things were evident- it really was a third-world country. People living in essentially huts with no running water or electricity. Lots of trash. But on the other hand, everyone was so friendly and excited that cruise ships were stopping there. Children (and adults) waived and grinned as we drove by in the tour vehicle.

 

It is quite the contrast to the luxury that is on board the cruise ship. Many of these people are poorer than we can ever fathom.

 

That contrast makes a lot of travellers uncomfortable with their own feelings of guilt and excess (whether they recognize it or not).

 

Well said and I totally agree!!

 

Also......Pushy vendors don't bother me as I simply say NO while looking directly into their eyes and they know I meant exactly what I just said - then they are glad to move on.

[Big Feet]

We will be on the Explorer in a couple of weeks and Samana is one of the stops. i will be traveling w. 2 seniors and really am glad to have this info. I think we will make it a pool day on board.

my post was for persons like yourself and others who may have kids. In case you didn't know -- this stop is not geared for any type of Handicap persons.

To the poster who said-- they waited for the rest of the tour persons and didn't see anything like I described-- the taxis were outside the fence--not on the dock so it would have been difficult to see. Would you at least be courtious enough to mention what you witnessed at the dock and ramp-- was my description inaccurate?

[setsail]

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/shoreExcursions/product/detail/view.do?ProductCode=DS11&DestinationCode=CARIB&sourcePage=shorexByTypePortDest&ActivityTypeId=1

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/shoreExcursions/product/detail/view.do?ProductCode=DS34&DestinationCode=CARIB&sourcePage=shorexByTypePortDest&ActivityTypeId=9

[Norwegianlatvian]

The majority of cruising guests to any Caribbean port are likely to be English speaking.

 

If the hosting country wants to make the guests feel welcome, making an effort to understand basic English is a good idea. The more welcome you make your guests, the more likely they are to stay awhile and go to town, take a tour, ride a taxi and shop in a store.

 

The goal of any port visit is to maximize revenue from the cruising guests, and that language barrier will likely make the port visits less profitable.

 

Now, we haven't been to some of these ports, but when in St. Martin, Barbados, Aruba, St Lucia, and several others, we find most people, especially tour guides, shop owners and taxi drivers, understand English pretty well. This makes us comfortable on their island and gives us a more enjoyable experience. Lots of smiles too.

 

I'm not saying they should change their culture, or lose whatever it is that makes their island special, just saying understanding the language of your guests probably will make your port visits happier places.

 

OWD (Ocean Wave Dave)

 

The op says that the tour guide spoke "broken english". Should it really be a demand that a tour guide speaks fluent/perfect english when you are visiting a country where english is not the first language.

 

..but yeah, it is a hassle to learn a new language...

[Big Feet]

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/shoreExcursions/product/detail/view.do?ProductCode=DS11&DestinationCode=CARIB&sourcePage=shorexByTypePortDest&ActivityTypeId=1

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/shoreExcursions/product/detail/view.do?ProductCode=DS34&DestinationCode=CARIB&sourcePage=shorexByTypePortDest&ActivityTypeId=9

All well and good-- how do you get into the tender? how do you get from tender to dock-- then dock back onto tender for your tour?

This and I quote RCI is not an island that recognizes ADA. From what I saw-- handicap persons BeWare.

[setsail]

They are not my tours:rolleyes:

 

RCI has been tendering wheelchair bound people as far back as when they only had 3 ships and were going to GC, after over 40 years, they have it down.

 

Why do you think a wheelchair bound tour has a weight limit at a tender port:rolleyes:

[EVALUATOR]

All well and good-- how do you get into the tender? how do you get from tender to dock-- then dock back onto tender for your tour?

This and I quote RCI is not an island that recognizes ADA. From what I saw-- handicap persons BeWare.

 

Hence the A (the first one) in ADA.

 

I don't think anyone that is disabled expects world wide compliance with ADA.

 

And there is a big difference between ADA compliant and handicapped friendly.

[MS52]

my post was for persons like yourself and others who may have kids. In case you didn't know -- this stop is not geared for any type of Handicap persons.

To the poster who said-- they waited for the rest of the tour persons and didn't see anything like I described-- the taxis were outside the fence--not on the dock so it would have been difficult to see. Would you at least be courtious enough to mention what you witnessed at the dock and ramp-- was my description inaccurate?

 

I was the one who waited for our group and the dock. Your description was different from the day we were there. I stood and people watched and thought it was a colorful port.

 

We stopped at a shop in town, a cigar factory, a gift shop, a restaurant on El Valle ( a beautiful beach), someone's home to sample coconut bread, another home to sample chocolate, walked to a waterfall (with the assistance of local kids who helped us across a creek).

 

It was one of my top ten days.......

[japper2353]

Just back from Explorer trip (1-13-13) -- stopped in Samana.

RCI-- are you trying to get negitive reviews by bringing your guests there?????

Please anyone else who was just there-- or recently put on the dock there lets send Adam a message-- we should not be put ashore in these dangerous places. Adam you wouldn't let your family set foot on the dock there if you have ever been there yourself.

NUT SHELL:

1. Tendered in-- OK

2. Old wooden dock-- had 60 people on the dock-- has anyone seen the blooper when the wedding party was having pic's taken and the dock collapsed? It's an accident waitng to happen.

3. One poor RCI rep -- by the gate-- no one else spoke english.

4. Taxi drivers were IN YOUR FACE hawking there $10 cab ride to town.

We were on the same ship and had the same experience. I'd say go with a tour as mentioned or stay on the boat. We should have taken the island tour I guess.